New welder, cheap truck, and low budget
 

So I got a $500 ranger 2wd. I just bought a welder to finish up my project car but before I even touch the car I need to practice my welds.

And being the car takes most of my budget I don't want to spend a hundred dollars on DOM pipe.
Im not looking for integrity, more just practice and to say I made that. So pretty much the only thing I want to pay for is black sch40 pipe, 3/4 and maybe 1", seeing a 10' length goes for about $20.
I've done searches but haven't found anyone who has build any bumpers out of sch40 black pipe just people saying it's fine or go buy DOM its better.

I don't have access to a bender so everything is gonna be miter joints, i prefer the mitered look anyway gives a more rugged in your face look.

so you just got a couple new toys and you didn't post pics? well your getting banned.

Lol, whats so special about a tiny arc welder and a truck that looks like it fell off a tall building?

I've heard that Sch 40 is hard to bend

3/4" or 1" is way to small for bumpers, it will look dumb. You need to use 1.5-2".

i think if you double up 3/4 or 1'' one on top of the other it would look alright. but yes 2'' would look better

You need to go with 2" for it to look right and it is hard to bend so your next buy should be a tube bender.

1 3/4 is perfect for a bumper. 1 inch is about as big as your finger lol

Ok, i'm not buying a bender cause I'll never use it again.
Second, Im not looking to have it survive a head on collision with a train.


On another note. I just remembered I have a trampoline in my backyard, it's like 1.5" pipe, but the only downside is it's galvanized. I heard the fumes can kill you if you weld anything with zinc.
Is it possible to weld galvanized pipe and not die?
This is perfect, a lot of 90 degree bends and plenty of like 2.5' lengths of pipe

If you want to play you have to pay.....If you want to get into fabbing spend the dough...IMO

To weld galvanized drink a little milk first, 30 years ago when I was learning to weld we did a lot of gal. irrigation pipe. I don't know what it does but you don't get as sick to your stomach. Add a paper mask designed for welding and you should survive.

Hell I am still here!

Bending iron pipe doesn't work you can bend it if you add a lot of heat, but it looks like s**t. You said in your original post you didn't like bends and was going to 45 the ends. Should look good if done with sharp angles and clean welds. Got to be better than stock!

Yeah def better than stock since the bumper is pushed in like 3 inches.

And I'm doing this for practice only. My car requires a lot of welding on the body, shaving the handles, license plate box on the trunk, lambo doors, etc. Nothing that requires a bender.

ive welded a lot of galvanized, i never did anything but put a rag around my face or a cheap through away dust mask and im fine.

and on the bender, if ya want a long swooping bend use an old rim and weld a piece of scrap on the inner lip to catch the pipe and with a little bit of heat you got a large radius bender, and for tighter binds use smaller rims such as lawn mower or go carts, thats what my buddy used to make exhaust was an old go cart rim welded to the table

Using the rims for a bender is a great idea, but because of the structure of galvanized pipe (cast steel) and muffler pipe (rolled steel) they respond to heat, bend and weld differently. Rolled steel which is similar to DOM will both bend and weld well.
Galvanized Crystalline structure is strong for pressure and ridged but will crack at the weld edge with a strong impact.
Rolled and drawn steel is linear good for flexibility and impact, will crush before the weld breaks.

Crystalline meaning that weird looking metal that looks likes pieces of scrap pressed together... the particle board of metals?

yea that's it,

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/4...2305nb5.th.jpg

Im using EMT conduit, seeing as there are 90 degree bends readily available in 1/2 up to 2" and still cheap as heck.

I still have to beef it up, guard the head lights, more bracing to the frame and a skid plate

for real? its not going to be used as a real bumper or anything right?:sour:

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/3...2008dz9.th.jpg
Still not done, Ive got some more work to do but i've hit my budget for the week.